After a thrilling 2-2 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy take a break from Major League Soccer action to face off against the Puerto Rico Islanders in the first leg of the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round.

Colin Clarke's Islanders are currently going through a difficult season in the 2010 USSF D-2 Pro League, with a 5-7-5 record (20 points). A preliminary round victory ovet Bruce Arena's Galaxy would more than make up for their horrid D-2 campaign.

"It's an honor to be able to represent the Caribbean and our league," Puerto Rico goalkeeper Bill Gaudette said. "To be able to participate in each of the three years is an honor. It's not a gift or a free invitation. You have to qualify every year and fortunately for us we've put some success together to be able to represent our region the last couple of years.

"I felt like some of the success we've had down here in Puerto Rico we could really build on. So far we've been rewarded with the Caribbean championship, but obviously we have a lot more work to do. We want to go out there and win the [USSF Division-2 Pro League] and obviously Champions League would be a huge step."

Gaudette will have his hands full with stopping the attacking tandem of Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle. As for the Islanders' attack, look for goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to brush off a rusty outing against the Earthquakes with defender Omar Gonzalez making his presence felt in the central defense.

"The leagues in the U.S. have equaled out a bit the last couple of years in terms of quality of play so we're excited to have the opportunity to go and play one of the best clubs in MLS right now," Gaudette added. "They have wonderful players all around the park.

"It's going to be a difficult game for us. We have two chances to give them a game, and we're going to see what happens. We'll go out to LA and give it our best and they have to come down to Puerto Rico, which not many teams like to do."

A key player for LA to mark is Islanders forward David John Foley. He leads the club with five goals on the season. The Galaxy defense will also be wise to prevent chances from the unlikeliest of heroes, such as Kendall Jagdeosingh, whose goal against Toronto FC was the eventual decider in the preliminary round last year.

The Galaxy are currently 12-2-4 (40 points) and are currently leading the 2010 MLS Western Conference and overall standings. Buddle leads the league with 12 goals, while Donovan leads MLS with 11 assists. If the Buddlevan Connection is not kept at bay, this could be a one-sided affair.

Ricketts had a 0.59 goals against average, with 48 saves made this season. Todd Dunivant has been a workhorse on defense, with 1,607 game minutes in 18 appearances donning LA's strip.

The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean).

The competition is open to the leading teams in the region and replaced the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, which has run from 1962 to 2008. The winner earns a berth in the next FIFA Club World Cup, which pits each continental confederation's champion against the others each year.

Look for the Islanders to play a defensive game, packing it tight, and striking like a cobra when the Galaxy are not set in the back. While Puerto Rico is a step down in talent from San Jose, it does not necessarily mean that this is a team that knows how to capitalize on opportunity.

But what will be the ultimate winner in this first leg...is depth.

"We have a lot of games ahead of us," Arena said after the match with San Jose. "There's no other way to get guys minutes. Kovalenko hasn't played in a long time."—his last appearance was in the second game of the season on April 1, when he suffered a strained right hamstring—"and we have no other way to move him along and get him ready and play and contribute. He has to play.

"Leonardo is an excellent defender and we need to put him in there.

There's going to be situations in a couple of months where we need to rotate our center backs and our holding midfielders. We have to play these players...there's no other way to get them in position as we move forward to help our team. We can't have a situation where six weeks down the road we have a suspension or injury and expect our guys to step on the field and not miss a beat. They had to play."

"The beauty of this team," Donovan said after the Quakes match, "is that we have 24, 25 guys that are very capable of playing and contributing. Throughout the year you've seen all sorts of guys step in and help and make a difference.

"It's going to continue that way. We have a lot of games coming up, we're all prepared for it and everybody's got to be ready to play."

Starting with this.

Manchester United can have the MLS All-Star exhibition. The Galaxy—big guns and all—will take a blowout win. Full steam ahead to Bayamon!

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It is becoming increasingly apparent that Seattle Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljungberg will soon be with a different MLS team.

Sounders General Manager Adrian Hanauer and Coach Sigi Schmid each attempted to inform the public on what is occurring in a tactful manner in addressing the topic of Ljungberg’s absence at team functions following a period when he was reported to have sustained an ankle injury.

Hanauer and Schmid addressed the Ljungberg situation following Friday’s practice on the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field prior to Sunday night’s Western Conference match between the Sounders and the Colorado Rapids.

As Hanauer exclaimed after practice:

“Freddie at this time he is training by himself, getting healthy, getting fit. We agreed together that it made some sense to keep him away from the club as he is exploring other options.”

Hanauer explored the topic further in noting,  “I don’t think there’s a secret that that’s happening. We just thought it was best to keep this team focused right here on winning on Sunday, let Freddie explore options. As that process plays out, we will take things as they come to us. Again, assuming something does or doesn’t happen in the next week or few days or two weeks, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Hanauer then delivered concluding comments:

“He is looking at other options and he is a fantastic player who has been a great ambassador for this club. He helped us launch an amazing franchise. He is a good guy, someone I consider a friend, and I think the best thing is to let this play out, see what he can find for himself and then, again, cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Sigi Schmid weighed in on the topic as well following practice:

“The decision was it would probably be best right now to get his injury cured up and his ankle, which is doing much better. And while he is exploring those options to keep him out of our training during that period of time so that he can explore those options.

“There wasn’t a risk, obviously in training with a team there’s always a greater risk of injury. There’s not a risk of injury while he is going through that or a risk of making the injury worse. So that’s getting better, that’s there. We wanted to give him some time away. It’s less of a distraction probably for the team and for him at this stage so he can be focused on what he is doing. I think Adrian [Hanauer] said this as well he has been great for this club, what he did his first year and he’s been a great ambassador for the team as well.

“All the players on the team all get along with him. There’s a lot of respect for what he has accomplished and what he’s done. As I have said before, he is a quality player. But for him, he’s got to look at his future and where is the best place to apply his trade as he moves forward into his future.”

Meanwhile, curiosity mounts as to what Freddie Ljungberg’s next move will be.

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Thierry Henry scores!!!!

And the crowd went wild, giving him a standing ovation in the USA.

Yes! In the USA, the crowd went crazy as Henry tucked in his first goal for the New York Red Bulls.

The former Arsenal striker scored against Tottenham in fantastic fashion as the French striker showed perfect forward movement to slot the ball home, but the crowd's reaction was more impressive.

The fans loved him! 

People said David Beckham could not make soccer popular in the USA.

I am sorry but the sport is well and truly on the rise to stardom.

David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and now Thierry Henry are a few names of world class players who can entertain people with the beautiful game.

Soon more players will want to end their career in the U.S.

Who knows, maybe Clarence Seedorf and Pirlo may follow.

This would regenerate the game to a whole new level. No more of this slow paced soccer, the more stars move there the more the game will improve.

It is truly on the rise and big things are expected from Thierry Henry.

He is the right man to promote the sport overseas, but all should thank David Beckham as the ambassador who did the impossible.

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Last week, MLS commissioner Don Garber said that Landon Donovan was not for sale, meaning that America's indisputable best player would be staying in the domestic league. On paper this makes sense — a league wanting to grow has its country's best player.

But if Garber really has the interest of soccer's growth in America, he should let Landon leave and go join the growing number of Americans playing significant roles on European club teams.

While in the short term it may help boost ticket sales for the LA Galaxy—Donovan's current team — and the sides they visit, this plan won't stick.

Watching number 10 in person last week when the Galaxy visited DC United, it became apparent that he was exponentially better than most everyone on the pitch. Even Edson Buddle, also a member of the national team and Galaxy teammate, seemed amateur in sequences where Donovan sped past MLS defenders.

Letting Landon go to England, where multiple managers have expressed interest in him, will let him develop further as a player, which will help the national team and ultimately help the MLS.

Sure, many of America's best players got their start in the MLS, including our second and third-best players (at least by most people's opinions), Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey. Howard and Dempsey both played significant parts of their early career in the USA, but now play for legitimate premier league sides in Everton and Fulham respectively.

In international play, those two, along with Donovan, have proved to be our best players, likely because they are playing against the best club competition during the year.

Let's look at the Brazilian national team, unquestionably the best group of players year-after-year.

Of the 23 that went to this year's World Cup, only three played in Brazil's underwhelming domestic league.

Only one, Robinho, could be considered an elite player, and the reason he went back was because his playing time at Manchester City in England was limited. Brazil has proved that to be a soccer crazed nation, the national team success is more important than a domestic league.

Lastly, as an American, I inherently want my countrymen to succeed.

Although I follow Aston Villa as my premier league side, I always check the Fulham box scores to see how Dempsey did. And last season I looked at the Hull City lines to see if Jozy Altidore was able to net a goal.

Donovan is a first for American soccer. After his goal against Algeria, he instantly became the most recognizable American soccer player ever. And I guarantee scores of people would be curious to see his games against the English elite, hoping he can slice through the likes of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. I know I'd watch.

For a young league (just 16-years old), MLS has done things right so far. The league has conformed to FIFA rules, eliminating regular season overtimes. The league has expanded to the right places, going to soccer friendly towns such as Toronto, Philadelphia, and Seattle. The league has smartly marketed to the flux of Hispanic people in the country as a large part of its audience.

But for once, the league needs to give something up. Donovan going to England would help the national team, Donovan himself, and ultimately the MLS by generating even more interest in soccer. 

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Thierry Henry made his MLS debut last night when he started for the New York Red Bulls in the Barclays New York challenge. In the opening game of the tournament, the Red Bulls hosted the Tottenham Hotspurs from England.

In the 25th minute, Henry took a centering pass from Joel Lindpere and slid in to beat Spurs goalie Carlo Cudicini, giving the Red Bulls a 1-0 lead.

After he scored, he had a message for the fans behind the north goal: "I'm here," he said. More emphatically, he said "I'll say it again. I'm here to stay."

The crowd exploded numerous times during the first half when Henry made some dazzling moves. He was subbed out for the start of the second half, as the Red Bulls had many chances to tally goals, but were only able to come away with the one goal and led 1-0 at the end of 45 minutes.

When Henry didn't start the second half, things fell apart for the Red Bulls. The defense was caught out of position twice as Robbie Keane and Gareth Bale netted goals in a ten minute stretch for the Spurs, who they fended off numerous attacks in the late minutes to secure a 2-1 lead to kick off the tournament.

The Red Bulls are currently in second place in the Eastern division of the MLS with 26 points, but with Henry they are a much better team. And if he can get in shape and be able to play a full 90 minutes, they have a real shot at doing damage in the playoffs.

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If Thursday's contest between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes were an Iron Chef duel, the outcome would be inconclusive, and the Iron Chef would remain unbeaten.

In this case, the Iron Chefs of the Los Angeles Galaxy faced their strongest challenger yet in their Northern California rivals, as both sides continued the tradition of the California Clasico at the football Kitchen Stadium known as the Home Depot Center before 17,712.

The one ingredient that the Earthquakes lacked was not so secret: Landon Donovan. His 90th minute strike was the reason the Galaxy salvaged a draw, and a reason why this storied derby will be decided at Buck Shaw Stadium in one month's time.

But to be honest, offensively this was just an absolute nightmare that the Galaxy only woke out of after the last of LA's 22 shots. Buddle nearly got his brace, but Donovan was there to follow through and tap it home.

I can now understand why Commissioner Don Garber is fighting [albeit in vain] to keep Donovan in the league for the long haul. He continues to deliver in the clutch. When the game is on the line, the Galaxy have the edge, and that edge is wearing the No. 10 jersey.

So let me get this straight: Bruce Arena's Galaxy won 10 corners, and failed to convert any of them?  Frank Yallop's Quakes only had one corner, and that was converted.

This is what I call a malediction's delight. (Whippersnappers refer to this by the 23rd, 20th, and sixth letters of the English alphabet in succession.) It's futility at it's finest.

The Quakes should have won this contest. Their team speed made it very difficult for the Galaxy backline to adjust on the transition and their counterattack.

Donovan Ricketts was not getting any help from his defense tonight, and he also struggled in the second and 72nd minutes to make saves.

It's these types of breakdowns in defense that give a certain team from Bayamon hope. (More on them later and also in the preview of that match.)

But, the one thing that really ticked me off today was the finishing.

20th minute : a bad touch from Edson Buddle with space open.

23rd minute : a shot goes wide.

49th minute : shot goes off the crossbar and Bobby Convey clears the would-be equalizer.

Set pieces: stopped. Open space: neutralized.

This was a spirited defensive effort from the Earthquakes.

Thursday saw the Galaxy pay the price for not bailing Ricketts out. Thursday also saw Ricketts pay the price for botching his saves early and often. And finally, Thursday saw the team capitulate on just about all of its chances to finish.

All, save for two.

Buddle's goal in the 60th minute was his 12th of the season. Although, I don't think he will be on pace to break the 27 set by Roy Lassiter in 1996. Blame it on the World Cup. Seriously.

Donovan became the not-so-secret ingredient that prevented the NorCal house specialty of the San Jose Earthquakes from upstaging the home cooking courtesy of the league leading Los Angeles Galaxy.

Chicken Thief No. 5: Bobby Convey

We got poultry heisters of the highest order. Case in point: this MLS All-Star from San Jose, who took advantage of a lousy save from Donovan Ricketts in the second minute of play. Convey did well to open his scoring account this season, and who better to open it up against than the G's?

For me, I just don't think Ricketts has lived up to his All-Star status. I would fear for the worst if Manchester United is thinking to themselves, "Another W for us on our tour"...although I would expect as much.


More Home Cooking, with a little CONCACAF mixed in

Next up for the Galaxy is a break from MLS play, and a preliminary round duel with the Puerto Rico Islanders on Tuesday. It has not been a season to remember for Colin Clarke's men, who linger at the bottom of the USSF D2 Pro League USL Conference.

I can bet you that hope will be springing eternal for this team after San Jose gave Los Angeles all they can handle. The mindset could be, "hey, our season can be saved after all."

Can the Galaxy rebound from getting their blushed spared by two players that most likely will not be suiting up Tuesday? A preview of the match will be posted later this week.

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If Thursday's contest between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes were an Iron Chef duel, the outcome would be inconclusive, and the Iron Chef would remain unbeaten.

In this case, the Iron Chefs of the Los Angeles Galaxy faced their strongest challenger yet in their Northern California rivals, as both sides continued the tradition of the California Clasico at the football Kitchen Stadium known as the Home Depot Center before 17,712.

The one ingredient that the Earthquakes lacked was not so secret: Landon Donovan. His 90th minute strike was the reason the Galaxy salvaged a draw, and a reason why this storied derby will be decided at Buck Shaw Stadium in one month's time.

But to be honest, offensively this was just an absolute nightmare that the Galaxy only woke out of after the last of LA's 22 shots. Buddle nearly got his brace, but Donovan was there to follow through and tap it home.

I can now understand why Commissioner Don Garber is fighting [albeit in vain] to keep Donovan in the league for the long haul. He continues to deliver in the clutch. When the game is on the line, the Galaxy have the edge, and that edge is wearing the No. 10 jersey.

So let me get this straight: Bruce Arena's Galaxy won 10 corners, and failed to convert any of them?  Frank Yallop's Quakes only had one corner, and that was converted.

This is what I call a malediction's delight. (Whippersnappers refer to this by the 23rd, 20th, and sixth letters of the English alphabet in succession.) It's futility at it's finest.

The Quakes should have won this contest. Their team speed made it very difficult for the Galaxy backline to adjust on the transition and their counterattack.

Donovan Ricketts was not getting any help from his defense tonight, and he also struggled in the second and 72nd minutes to make saves.

It's these types of breakdowns in defense that give a certain team from Bayamon hope. (More on them later and also in the preview of that match.)

But, the one thing that really ticked me off today was the finishing.

20th minute : a bad touch from Edson Buddle with space open.

23rd minute : a shot goes wide.

49th minute : shot goes off the crossbar and Bobby Convey clears the would-be equalizer.

Set pieces: stopped. Open space: neutralized.

This was a spirited defensive effort from the Earthquakes.

Thursday saw the Galaxy pay the price for not bailing Ricketts out. Thursday also saw Ricketts pay the price for botching his saves early and often. And finally, Thursday saw the team capitulate on just about all of its chances to finish.

All, save for two.

Buddle's goal in the 60th minute was his 12th of the season. Although, I don't think he will be on pace to break the 27 set by Roy Lassiter in 1996. Blame it on the World Cup. Seriously.

Donovan became the not-so-secret ingredient that prevented the NorCal house specialty of the San Jose Earthquakes from upstaging the home cooking courtesy of the league leading Los Angeles Galaxy.

Chicken Thief No. 5: Bobby Convey

We got poultry heisters of the highest order. Case in point: this MLS All-Star from San Jose, who took advantage of a lousy save from Donovan Ricketts in the second minute of play. Convey did well to open his scoring account this season, and who better to open it up against than the G's?

For me, I just don't think Ricketts has lived up to his All-Star status. I would fear for the worst if Manchester United is thinking to themselves, "Another W for us on our tour"...although I would expect as much.


More Home Cooking, with a little CONCACAF mixed in

Next up for the Galaxy is a break from MLS play, and a preliminary round duel with the Puerto Rico Islanders on Tuesday. It has not been a season to remember for Colin Clarke's men, who linger at the bottom of the USSF D2 Pro League USL Conference.

I can bet you that hope will be springing eternal for this team after San Jose gave Los Angeles all they can handle. The mindset could be, "hey, our season can be saved after all."

Can the Galaxy rebound from getting their blushed spared by two players that most likely will not be suiting up Tuesday? A preview of the match will be posted later this week.

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T-180 minutes to kickoff: This is going to be a real doozy on hand. Hide the women and children, if they are still awake. It's the Los Angeles Galaxy vs. the San Jose Earthquakes, the California Clasico.

It's a renewal of the Northern California vs. Southern California rivalry, and today's play-by-play, brought to you by the View from Victoria Street and Bleacher Report, is set to fill you in on the action.

T-170: Before we go into the analysis, we just want to let you know of some other results going on. D.C. United defeated the Harrisburg City Islanders 2-0 to advance to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

In SuperLiga play, the New England Revolution defeated Morelia 1-0 and the Chicago Fire edged Pumas UNAM 1-0.

T-160: In International Club Friendly action, Manchester United prevailed over the Philadelphia Independence 1-0 and Bolton Wanderers defeated Toronto FC in a penalty shootout 4-3.

Also in SuperLiga play, the Houston Dynamo defeated Puebla 1-0 and Chivas USA sounded off Pachuca 1-0. Also going on today is an international club friendly between the New York Red Bulls and Tottenham Hotspur.

T-150: Bruce Arena's Galaxy are currently 12-2-3 (39 points), eight points to the good of the Columbus Crew for the overall spot in the league and nine to the good of Real Salt Lake for the best record in the MLS Western Conference.

T-140: As for Frank Yallop's Earthquakes, they are 17 points behind the Galaxy, with a 6-4-4 record (22 points) are are fifth in the MLS Western Conference.

San Jose's next three matches include a July 31 home contest with the Seattle Sounders, an Aug. 7 road trip to Dick's Sporting Goods Park to face the Colorado Rapids and an Aug. 14 home tie with the Kansas City Wizards.

T-130: Los Angeles's next three matches include a JUly 27 home match with the Puerto Rico Islanders in the first leg of the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round, an Aug. 1 home tie with the Chicago Fire, and an August 4 road trip to San Juan to face the Islanders.

T-120: Two hours to kickoff. Let's give you the line-ups.

T-90: Our match official today is the ever-lovable, equally as despised Jair Marrufo. George Gansner and Jeff Hosking are the linesmen today and Yader Reyes is our fourth official calling out the minutes of stoppage time and hearing the scrutiny from our two protagonistic managers here on Victoria Street.

T-80: Thank God there are only two matches going on today. I am writing this report from a secondhand laptop because the one I usually use is still stuck in the shop in Manhattan Beach.

It's been there since July 9. I have to be very unhappy with the delay. At least I have an apparatus to type a report on. In short, it's better than nothing.

T-75: I would like to give a shout-out to the U.S. Air Force. My favorite of the three major armed forces branches. They are in attendance today. I salute you all.

T-70: Oh yeah, there is a friendly going on down in Harrison. The New York Red Bulls are leading Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the 42nd minute.

T-65: New York is leading Tottenham 1-0 at the half, and yes, Thierry Henry is playing and he's even exchanged shirts. Looks like he is done for the match and will be subbed when the second half begins. He used to play for Arsenal, and he knows the importance of that rivalry.

Personally, I think the Manchester United-Arsenal rivalry is a bit stronger, but the regional intensity that you get from this north London derby has its own unique charm. Thierry knows that well.

T-60: One hour to kickoff here at Victoria Street, and I can tell you that there are no suspensions, no warnings, nada. Except...Mike Magee is out with a bilateral sports hernia surgery. Tough going for Mike.

As for the Earthquakes, midfielder Andre Luiz is out with a left knee internal derangement, forward Eduardo is out with a strained right hip flexor and defender Chris Leitch will sit this match out due to a left hip strain.

Thank goodness I am sitting in the upper section of the press box. I always bring a good-luck plushie to every home match, and my plushie dropped into the lower deck. I was able to pick it up.

More international club friendly action to run you through: at Fenway Park, Celtic defeated Sporting Lisbon 6-5 on penalties after drawing 1-1.

T-55: All right, there are some players on the make for the Galaxy. Chris Birchall, Edson Buddle and Juninho will be suspended for one match after two yellow cards.

As for the Earthquakes, Bobby Convey, Ramiro Corrales, and Chris Wondolowski will be suspended for one match after they amassed a couple more pieces of referees' cheese.

T-40: Whoops, looks like the plushie fell again. And again. I hate this laptop. Curse you, Fry's Electronics!

T-35: Players now warming up. And the Red Bulls still lead the Spurs 1-0.

T-30: Looks like we have a game on our hands. Robbie Keane in the 62nd minute makes it 1-1.

T-23: Horrid goalkeeping at its finest. Gareth Bale of Tottenham takes advantage in the 72nd. It's 2-1 Tottenham.

T-20: Ultras San Jose in attendance. Welcome to the South, Northerners.

T-15: Still 2-1 Tottenham, and I don't think the outcome will change at this rate.

T-4: Final from Harrison: Tottenham Hotspur 2, New York Red Bulls 1. I don't see the Red Bulls being a MLS Cup contender if they give up rallies like we just saw today. I just don't see it happening.

T-2: Will we see a flyover today? Congratulations to the new people entering the U.S. Air Force. A new batch of enlistees were sworn in before the match today. Don't go home in a box or get KIA in Afghanistan or Iraq or wherever...just warning you...And no PTSD outbursts please.

T-0: National anthem by boy band Honor Society. The answer to the question posed by T-2 is...no. Bleh.

FIRST HALF START: 7:45 P.M. PT

1' - And we are off and running in the first leg of this California Clasico. Wonder which Quake will be stealing the chickens today?

The Big Cat from Montego Bay, Mr. Donovan Ricketts, is in need of a shutout badly. He begins with a goal kick. Now here's Todd Dunivant, who passes to Michael Stephens for a touch.

2' - Here come the San Jose Earthquakes. This Cornell Glen, and the Earthquakes take the lead.

GOAL! San Jose Earthquakes 11 Bobby Convey
The Quakes throw the first gauntlet. He benefits off the botched save by Ricketts, and it's 1-0. Los Angeles will have to equalize in due time.

3' - Only three minutes in, and it's 1-0 San Jose.

4' - Execution will be key. Tune everything out, and connect on this corner...which they didn't.

5' - Back comes San Jose. And that was also the first goal of the season for Convey.

6' - Sean Franklin will need to do better. The Galaxy are not doing themselves any favors with the deplorable ball movement in the front.

7' - This is Brandon McDonald. His throw-in comes for naught.

8' - Excellent defense from Ramiro Corrales.

9' - San Jose is going to pack it tight this half as the Galaxy look for the equalizer. Good passing, but that shot was an easy save for Jon Busch.

10' - Stephens gets beat off the ball. Throw-in LA. Set piece for the G's. Can Landon draw his men forward for this one? He does, but it's not a good free kick.

11' - So we are 11 minutes in, and it's 1-0 San Jose.

12' - Here is Omar Gonzalez, and that throw-in goes to the Quakes.

13' - Jason Hernandez with the clearance for San Jose. This is excellent defending from the players in black and blue.

14' - Offsides, San Jose Earthquakes. Yallop will be wise to stretch the field.

15' - This will be a corner. High and no one in the vicinity. Goal kick Busch.

16' - That wasn't going to work for Bobby Convey. In All-Star solidarity, glad to see this guy finally get his dues.

17' - If this were Iron Chef, the challenger is beating the Iron Chef so far.

18' - Again, a shot from the left side, and Ricketts anticipates. Not this time, Cornell.

19' - I would like to see the Quakes spice things up with some slide tackles, but a goalie stop is fine too. Well done, Jon Busch.

20' - Oh my goodness, what was Edson Buddle doing? You gotta be selfish sometimes with the ball. Terrible touch.

21' - So we are 21 minutes in, and it's 1-0 San Jose. Well, it's still 1-0, after Juninho butchered his first shot of the night. Goal kick...Jon Busch.

22' - Corner for the Galaxy. Can Donovan end his woes on set pieces here?

23' - No dice. For those of you who don't know basic slang...that's "negative." The futility continues. It's still 1-0. And it is STILL 1-0.

How many more bullets will these lucky Quakes dodge? It's as if they are living a charmed life. Compare to a semi-charmed kind of life proposed by local Bay Area band Third Eye Blind.

24' - I have been whinging like a woman scorned on the poor finishing from the Galaxy. Why do I have the feeling that this is going to be the talk of the match?

25' - Here's Hernandez again. The pace from this Quakes side is all the rage right now.

26' - Goal kick, Ricketts.

27' - Quakes back on the attack. And that stanza sours, goal kick Ricketts. Another missed shot, this time from Stephens. This is becoming a broken record right now.

28' - So we are 28 minutes into the contest, and it's still 1-0 San Jose.

29' - Here is Ike Opara, resetting the Quakes for their next stanza. Ricketts sweeps that one up.

30' - A half hour gone, and the visitors from the north are cruising 1-0 in the first leg of this California Clasico.

31' - Throw-in, San Jose. Glen is offsides. We've yet to see Chris Wondolowski do his thing. Stay tuned.

32' - Bobby Convey is playing with ice water in his veins, and showing his MLS All-Star pedigree tonight. As for the four G's...we've yet to see that take place. Will it?

33' - Dunivant will have to slow things down for now.

34' - And that is a bad collision. Alan Gordon, ouch. You know, this fellow Beacher has been having injury problem, and he took that one hard to the schnozz. This is just gonna add to the fires. Great stuff.

35' - He'll have to be careful next time; otherwise, he is fine.

36' - With Gordon back on the pitch, it's back to action. Los Angeles is looking for the equalizer this half. Offsides, G's. Goal kick Busch.

37' - And here come the G's. Excellent deflection from San Jose.

38' - Glen in shaken up after jostling with Omar Gonzalez. This will be a tough loss. The howls rain down, calling out a possible simulation attempt.

39' - Well there has to be some first-half stoppage time; there's no doubt about it. The boo birds' audacity comes to a head as Glen rises to his feet.

40' - 40 in, and it's 1-0 San Jose.

41' - Buddlevan Connection was off. Edson seems to be losing his touch a little.

42' - This is some spirited defending from the Quakes. Bend, but don't break.

43' - That was a poor touch from Todd Dunivant. Angel City Brigade sways.

44' - Love the percussion in the background. Good stop by the defense of San Jose.

45' - Throw-in for Brandon McDonald. Frank Yallop has to be pleased with this result. Not so much for Bruce Arena.

45' + 1' - Three minutes of stoppage time, says Yader Reyes.

45' + 2' - If I am Bruce Arena, I gotta change my tactics heading into the break.

45' + 3' - And that header into the side netting sums up the half for the Galaxy. Total futility in a handbasket. It's halftime.

Halftime Stats

Shots
San Jose Earthquakes 4
Los Angeles Galaxy 7

Shots on Goal
San Jose Earthquakes 4
Los Angeles Galaxy 1

Saves
San Jose Earthquakes 1
Los Angeles Galaxy 3

Fouls
San Jose Earthquakes 2
Los Angeles Galaxy 2

Corner Kicks
San Jose Earthquakes 0
Los Angeles Galaxy 3

Offsides
San Jose Earthquakes 2
Los Angeles Galaxy 0

SECOND HALF START: 8:50 P.M. PT

46' - The second half is up and running. The Galaxy did not do themselves any favors with their lack of finish. In fact, they can't even buy a finish in a disappointing first half.

Now, San Jose Earthquakes did their end of my prediction. Let's see if the home side can respond and do something about their poor form in this half.

For the record, I am not a fan of the movie "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore"...so long as it has a low rating on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.

No penalty called on that foul. The home supporters have every right to be disgusted by that.

47' - I really do think that Ricketts' stock has taken a bit of a dive these past few matches. He's now starting to give up goals left and right, and I'm starting to seriously wonder if he does deserve his All-Star plaudits.

Busch takes that one. I guess Marrufo doesn't want to be a homer in this case. Suit yourself, Jair.

48' - What a save from Jon Busch. Corner, Los Angeles Galaxy.

49' - How is that not in? Bad deflection off the crossbar. Boy, the Galaxy have been very unlucky tonight, and they wasted the best chance to equalize so far this half.

50' - This is just unbelievable from Buddle. Every one of the big guns has been off tonight. Convey was the last line of defense. He is looking like the man of the match so far.

51' - Buddle had a player that he could pass to on that stanza, and he didn't see him.

52' - Alan Gordon, the second coming of the Keystone Kops?

Substitution San Jose Earthquakes
IN 10 Arturo Alvarez
OUT 17 Joey Gjertsen

54' - And things are getting testy down there.

Yellow card 2 Bobby Burling
San Jose Earthquakes

55' - Terrible shot from Juninho. That was easy save for Busch.

56' - Trying to sneak one through, and it's not going to work.

57' - Back come San Jose. The Ultras who made the visit can't believe their luck.

58' - Ricketts resets the distribution for the next stanza.

60' - GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy 14 Edson Buddle Assists 2 Todd Dunivant, 10 Landon Donovan
Finally! About time Edson did something right. It's now a game. The power of perseverance.

61' - Time for this Galaxy side to take the reins from this point forward. We now have a match.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 17 Tristan Bowen
OUT 8 Dema Kovalenko

63' - Offsides, Glen. This is tenacious football right here at the HDC.

64' - Back comes San Jose. They have been giving up too much space today, the Galaxy have. Easy pickings for Jon Busch. And Donovan Ricketts will let that go for a goal kick.

65' - Number 12 on the season for Buddle. Buddle's not getting any help, but here comes an LA corner. Here is where the G's need to pick up the pace.

66' - Too low, and too wide for Omar Gonzalez. Goal kick, Busch.

67' - We are 67 minutes into this Cali Clasico first leg and it is a Street battle. Victoria Street, that is. 1-1.

68' - Substitution San Jose Earthquakes
IN 9 Scott Sealy
OUT 8 Chris Wondolowski

Wondo was a non-factor tonight. There's a plus for the Galaxy defense. Corner for the G's.

69' - Cleared. Another set piece.

70' - Busch is a beast right now in the net. This guy's been doing work for the Quakes.

71' - Yellow card 10 Landon Donovan
Los Angeles Galaxy

Oh yeah. Jair's going to be booed off the pitch when this is over. Back to the match; now when was the last time the Quakes got a corner? Hmmmm.

72' - GOAL! San Jose Earthquakes 14 Brandon McDonald
So much for a momentum shift. Another butchered save from Ricketts. What is going on with him? This is depressing.

73' - It's a malediction's delight. The Galaxy are forced to come from behind AGAIN. Corner misses the mark. San Jose has made the Galaxy pay for not converting their corners, and McDonald's goal was well-deserved.

74' - So much for my prediction. And another chance has been wasted by the Galaxy.

76' - 76 minutes in...2-1 San Jose. This team is on Kryptonite right now.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 6 Eddie Lewis
OUT 2 Todd Dunivant

78' - Glen is offsides yet again.

79' - Good pass, but poor finish. 17,712 in attendance tonight.

80' - Bowen's shot would have been good on the gridiron for three. Not so much here.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 9 Jovan Kirovski
OUT 21 Alan Gordon

81' - This is excellent dispossession from the Earthquakes. They will be wise to hold on to this lead to the final whistle. I think they may be able to make a successful run for the playoffs if they hold on.

83' - Crowd rises to their feet with this corner. And this has been the story of the night for Los Angeles. This team is paralleling New York's effort against Tottenham: poor finishing, and bad goalkeeping.

84' - Just a few more minutes to go, and the Quakes will take this first leg.

85' - I bet you the folks out in San Juan are looking at this match right now. It may be early morning down there, but I would think that they would be saying to themselves, "Hey, we may a chance here and have our season saved."

86' - That's some good marking from the Earthquakes midfielders.

87' - Bad shot from Tristan Bowen.

89' - And that was a bad tackle...here comes the yellow.

Yellow card 28 Sean Franklin
Los Angeles Galaxy

Convey got jammed. Well-deserved yellow.

90' - GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy 10 Landon Donovan
He did it again, he did again. Bad save by Jon Busch, easy tap for the No. 10.

90' + 1' - Substitution San Jose Earthquakes
IN 19 Ryan Johnson
OUT 13 Cornell Glen

90' + 3' - Corner, and maybe one last chance for the Galaxy to steal three points? No dice.

Yellow card 19 Juninho
Los Angeles Galaxy

The cards are starting to pile up now. So here come the Earthquakes with one last chance.

90' + 4' - That's a wrap.

What a match, huh? Stay tuned for my take on this match on Bleacher Report and the View from Victoria Street.

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If there is one word that fits Seattle Sounders midfielder Michael Seamon, it is discipline, which ties closely into his line of work.

Seamon, born and bred in Rahway, New Jersey, made a quick jump from June graduation at Philadelphia’s Villanova University to starting midfielder for the Seattle Sounders.

While acknowledging that Seamon possessed much promise, Coach Sigi Schmid also noted that he did not wish to rush the 21-year-old rookie and wanted to give him sufficient time to develop and adapt to MLS competition. The fact that he made it into the starting lineup this fast indicates Schmid’s belief that Seamon is a fast learner who has absorbed his lessons thoroughly.

People can absorb more quickly if they possess exceptional levels of discipline. From the time he was young this was an attribute that Seamon possessed.

“I always listened to my parents and my family was always important in my development,” Seamon said after Wednesday’s Sounders workout in Tukwila. “My mother and father, my three sisters, we formed an important bond.”

Seamon began playing soccer at five. When did he begin thinking that he had the tools to become a professional player?

“It was during my junior season at Villanova,” Seamon revealed. “I still had not thought about it, though. I just kept concentrating on the job at hand, doing my best to help my team win.”

In short, Seamon was a disciplined player with his objective focused on the present. There were games to win at Villanova and if he did his best he would develop and the future would reveal itself.

By Seamon’s senior season he was chosen All-Big East. He was selected as 27th pick in the 2009 MLS Super Draft. “Michael Seamon is a bigger, stronger player and his versatility helps us,” Sigi Schmid enthused.

When the 6'1", 183 pound Seamon stepped onto the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field for the first time during a May 26 friendly with the highly regarded Buenos Aires team Boca Juniors he experienced an event that odds-wise would rank in the billions.

Not long after stepping onto the field Seamon handled the ball for the first time in his professional career and produced a goal. Did he think at the time about how rare the event was that occurred? What were his feelings at that moment?

“I was just thinking about what I needed to do, keeping my mind on the game,” Seamon revealed.

Seamon's goal was a case of his steady discipline once more kicking in, and his recognition of the need to stay in control at all times.

Seamon’s major at Villanova was Criminal Justice. Such an interest involves law and order. If there is one thing that is inextricably linked to Seamon’s midfield duties it is order, coordinating activity in the center of the field between the Sounders’ offense and defense.

Seamon has achieved a facility and understanding at midfield stemming from the fact that he has played there for so long, extending from to youth soccer to his college days at Villanova and currently. “I moved around and played in the middle and on the sides,” Seamon explained, “but I was always playing as a midfielder.”

One of the things that Seamon likes about playing midfield is the perspective. He also likes the fact that a midfielder can generate such a positive impact on the flow of the game.

“You get a real feel for the game,” Seamon explained. “The longer you play there the more comfortable you feel. I have played next to Nate Strugis and we have developed a bond and a feel for what is happening.”

Then there is also that opportunity to help strikers score goals.

“At midfield we can help a striker like Fredy Montero feel more confident,” Seamon said. “As we work together with him to help him get a chance to drive toward the net and score goals.”

In addition to his family influence, Seamon named some role models from sports. One of them was a natural for a young man who grew up in New Jersey, so close to one of the most successful franchises in sports history.

“I like people who have the ability to win,” Seamon’s eyes twinkled with enthusiasm. “I like Derek Jeter. You put Jeter at shortstop against somebody else who has great ability and he will win because he has that competitiveness that winners have. For the same reason I also like Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. They are also people who have proven that they know how to win.”

Seamon’s opportunity to achieve starring status began in the second half of a 3-1 road loss to the Western Conference-leading L.A. Galaxy. Coach Sigi Schmid had expressed dissatisfaction to Sounders play-by-play commentator Arlo White over holes he saw at midfield in the first half, indicating that he would make halftime changes.

Trotting onto the field in the second half were Seamon, along with Nate Jaqua. At game’s end Schmid cited as one of the evening’s bright spots in defeat the improved second half play at midfield.

When the Sounders came home to play FC Dallas in a match that ended in a 1-1 tie, Seamon was a midfield starter. He played and has continued to function as a starter despite an ankle injury.

“Michael Seamon is a tough guy,” Schmid acknowledged.

The ankle injury continues to heal. Seamon says that he currently stands at about 90 percent of full capability. Meanwhile he continues doing his job, patrolling midfield for the Sounders with that characteristic Michael Seamon discipline.

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Is there a way to say, "Hey America, your soccer league is ranked 88th in the world but it's OK?" Well, I guess I have to try at least.

This years rankings of the top 115 domestic leagues in the world done by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) has been released and one can find Major League Soccer near the very bottom. One bright spot I suppose—there are several nations who took part of this year's FIFA World Cup, including New Zealand (115), Honduras (92), Ghana (91), and Ivory Coast (90).

However the MLS has a huge list of nations who did not qualify yet have a "stronger" domestic league. The MLS came behind leagues from such countries as Algeria (20), Iran (23), Kuwait (24), Qatar (27), Syria (29), Israel (31), Vietnam (35), Uzbekistan(38), Georgia (43), Libya (49), Honk Kong (53), Botswana (56), Guatemala (72), Zimbabwe (82), among others.

Don't worry however, this does not reflect on the status of the game as a whole in the country. The most important part is that the national team has reflected very well to the world the past few years and some of the top players are almost on the fringe of some of the top clubs in the world. But let's just cool it a bit with the whole "MLS is strong" talk; they have a huge way to go still.

You can see the full list here:

http://iffhs.de/?b6e20fa3002f70d00ee2d17f7370eff3702bb1c2bb0e

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